Jenny Sykes & Travis Griffin

Host Hotel

Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
700 San Jacinto at 8th Street
Austin, Texas 78701

Call 1-800-THE-OMNI and ask for the Sykes/Griffin Wedding group by May 27th.

Online Wedding Group Reservations »

Experience Austin!

It’s not by accident that this Dallas girl and Houston boy decided to make Austin our home. If you’re traveling in for the wedding, we hope you get a chance to enjoy what we believe is one of the best towns you’ll ever visit. Here’s some helpful information on visiting Austin, along with a list of some of our favorite local spots. Welcome to the ATX!

Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau »
Austin City Guide »

Drinks

Unless you want to hang out with cops and college students, we do not recommend hanging out on Dirty 6th (the traditional strip of 6th Street east of Congress). Go to West 6th Street, the 4th Street district or take some of our suggestions below!

Downtown & Chill:

Key Bar – Mention you’re in town for the Sykes/Griffin wedding and they will probably give you a discount or tell you a story or two. We come here occasionally…
Cedar Door – Where Travis and Jenny met in 2005!
The Belmont – Home of Travis’ 30th Birthday Party and fabulous martinis
Third Base – The ultimate downtown sports bar
Barton Springs Saloon – The only place where it’s cool to drink in the parking lot – and it’s legal
Mean-Eyed Cat – It’s a Johnny Cash-themed bar – enough said

Downtown & Fancy:

Stephen F. Austin Hotel Bar – Best patio in Austin, and some of our engagement photos were taken here!
Driskill Hotel Bar – LBJ and Clinton loved this place, so you know it’s a good time…
W Hotel Austin – Austin’s newest hotel bar hot spot
Crú – Vino!
Max’s Wine Dive – More vino!

Worth the Short Trip and Great for a Saturday Afternoon:

Doc’s Backyard – Our favorite neighborhood hangout in southwest Austin. Family friendly!
Doc’s Motorworks – The South Congress version of our favorite neighborhood hangout, just south of downtown
Freddie’s Place – Outdoor fun, with washers! Dog friendly!
Red’s Porch – Huge porch bar with a great view of Austin’s greenbelt

Food

Downtown & Chill:

Mike’s Pub – One of downtown’s best kept secrets and a very heart-healthy dining establishment
Hickory Street – They made the salad bar cool
Hut’s Hamburgers – You will never find a longer list of different hamburgers on a menu anywhere
Frank & Angie’s – Pizza, pasta and wine
Stubbs BBQ – BBQ and live music
Iron Works – Authentic Texas BBQ on the shores of downtown’s Waller Creek
Shoal Creek Saloon – Cajun joint and favored watering hole of politicos, lobbyists, Austin’s “Weird” and sports fans of all persuasions
El Arroyo – Great Tex-Mex and home of the incredible Enchiladas del Mar

Downtown & Fancy:

Finn & Porter – Where Jenny and Travis had their first date – and three years later got engaged!
Lambert’s – Ever heard of gourmet BBQ? Welcome to Lambert’s
Truluck’s – Where Jenny and Travis have spent an anniversary or two
Austin Land & Cattle Company – Austin’s finest tradition in steaks and seafood
Moonshine (not too fancy) – An Austin take on classic American comfort food and one of Jenny’s favorite spots

South Congress:

Just south of the river and downtown, a great area for walking around, shopping interesting stores, and seeing interesting people!

Home Slice – Best pizza in Austin
Mighty Cone – Best trailer food of all time and a south Austin legend
Guero’s Taco Bar – One of Austin’s best Tex-Mex restaurants

Near Downtown:

Magnolia Cafe – 24 hour, great for breakfast
Maudie’s – The best Tex-Mex for the price you will ever find, with several locations around town
Hula Hut – Tex-Mex + Hawaiian = an awesome Austin tradition
Chuy’s – Another Austin Tex-Mex legend with an Elvis flair
Shady Grove – Classic Austin cuisine with a love for the green chili peppers
Trudy’s – Two words: Mexican Martini
Matt’s El Rancho – Another one of Austin’s best Tex-Mex Restaurants

Worth the Trip:

Salt Lick – If you’re up for the drive to Driftwood, we dare you to find better BBQ anywhere in the world
Oasis – On Lake Travis and home of the best sunset you will ever find in the state of Texas (best observed with a margarita)

Culture

Texas State Capitol – Once considered the seventh largest building in the world. Everything IS bigger in Texas
University of Texas Co-Op – Get your HORNS UP!
Bob Bullock State History Museum – Everything you always wanted to know about Texas * but were afraid to ask
Mt. Bonnell – This towering mountaintop is the highest point in the ATX with amazing views of the city and Lake Austin
Barton Springs/Zilker Park – The best swimming hole in downtown Austin
The Bats on Congress Avenue Bridge – Bruce Wayne would be jealous. Witness the largest urban bat colony in the world take flight at dusk
Duck Tours – We’ll be honest: We’ve never done this – and if you do, we might make fun of you…
Broken Spoke – For all those who love to two-step and enjoy good Texas country music
Alamo Draft House Downtown – Beer, wings and movies. Enough said…
Lady Bird (Town Lake) Trail – The best urban workout on a lake you could ever imagine
High Ball – This is how we bowl
Republican Party of Texas Headquarters – Just kidding…
Blanton Art Museum – Jenny likes it, so it must be good
Austin City Limits – See the house that Texas legends built…

Convenience

CVS Pharmacy – Corner of 5th Street and Congress Avenue
Ana’s Mart – On 8th Street between Congress Avenue and Brazos Street
Littlefield Market – Corner of 6th Street and Brazos Street
Austin Yellow Cab – 512-452-9999